Overwatch 2 Stadium Summer Roadmap Revealed by Blizzard

Blizzard Entertainment has unveiled its exciting roadmap for Overwatch 2 Stadium for 2025, detailing the heroes and features set to be introduced in Season 17, Season 18, Season 19, and beyond. This roadmap was shared through a comprehensive Director's Take blog post by game director Aaron Keller, which not only highlights the upcoming updates but also reflects on the mode's journey since its launch just over a week ago.

The Stadium mode is set to expand significantly this summer. Starting with Season 16's mid-season patch, the new Damage hero, Freja, will join the fray. However, it's Season 17 in June that promises a major update with the addition of Junkrat, Sigma, and Zenyatta. Alongside these heroes, the Esperança Push map and Samoa Control map will be introduced, enhancing the strategic depth of the mode.

Blizzard plans to enrich the Stadium experience further by integrating features like Unranked Crossplay, new all-star rewards, custom games, additional example builds, and the ability to save and share builds. Although it's not specified whether all these enhancements will be available at the start of Season 17 or rolled out progressively throughout the season.

Moving into Season 18, fans can look forward to the inclusion of Winston, Sojourn, and Brigitte as playable characters. This season will also introduce the Route 66 and London maps, as well as a new Payload Race game mode, complete with two new maps and a Stadium trials feature. Players will also have the opportunity to endorse their teammates, fostering a more positive community atmosphere.

Blizzard has committed to introducing "multiple new heroes" each season, drawing from both the existing Overwatch 2 roster and new, yet-to-be-revealed characters. Looking ahead to Season 19 and beyond, a new China map and a Draft Mode feature are on the horizon, along with consumables, item system tweaks, and other exciting additions.

Overwatch 2 Stadium summer 2025 roadmap. Image courtesy of Blizzard Entertainment.

How has Stadium Performed so Far?

Since its launch, Stadium has quickly become the most popular mode in Overwatch 2, surpassing both Quick Play and Competitive. During its launch week, the mode saw an impressive 2.3 million matches played over 7.8 million hours. This performance significantly outpaces the launch week stats of Overwatch Classic.

Notable statistics include Lucio being the hero with the highest win rate yet the lowest pick rate. Players have also spent a staggering 900 billion Stadium Cash, selecting 206 million items for their builds.

In his Director's Take, Aaron Keller clarified that Stadium's development began before Overwatch 2 was launched, dispelling rumors that it was created in response to the December 2024 launch of Marvel Rivals. Keller emphasized Blizzard's ongoing commitment to transparent communication, promising more insights into Stadium in the coming week.

Despite Stadium's popularity, Blizzard remains dedicated to the core Overwatch experiences, including Quick Play and Competitive modes. Keller reassured fans that Stadium is not competing for resources but rather providing new avenues for delivering the Overwatch experience.

“Before signing off, I'd like to reiterate the team’s commitment to the Core modes of Overwatch," Keller stated. "We’re still pouring as much time, energy and passion into these as we always have. Stadium isn't competing for those resources: it’s giving us more opportunities to deliver Overwatch in a new, exciting way.

"We can't wait for you to see what's coming there, especially Season 18. It's going to be a banger! Have fun with Stadium and, as always, let’s make a great game.”

Stadium was introduced with the launch of Season 16 last week, as part of Blizzard's broader efforts to revitalize the Overwatch community. These efforts began with a comprehensive Spotlight presentation in February, which led to the reintroduction of loot boxes and an improved Steam rating, with many players feeling that this is the best Overwatch experience in years.

While we await further updates, you can explore our guide to learn more about how Stadium works and check out our recommendations for the best Tank Builds, DPS Builds, and Support Builds.